Case Study: Steffes Corporation improves grid stability and renewable energy storage with Microsoft Azure IoT

Solving renewable energy challenges with the Internet of Things

Steffes Corporation, a manufacturing company specializing in energy solutions, faced a challenge in balancing the electrical grid due to the unpredictable nature of renewable energy sources. The company partnered with Microsoft Corporation, utilizing Microsoft Azure IoT Services and the Microsoft Orleans framework, to find a way to store and use excess energy to stabilize the grid.

The solution involved transforming ordinary electric water heaters into a distributed network of smart, grid-interactive storage units. By implementing this IoT system with Microsoft, Steffes can now monitor and control thousands of water heaters in real-time, creating a virtual storage asset for utilities. This has resulted in greater grid stability, allowed for more renewable energy adoption, and the successful technology has been tested in 24 trials across seven time zones.

Steffes Corporation

Kelly Murphy

Business Development Specialist